How To Select The Right 3D Printing Material When Converting From Injection Molding

From complex geometries and unlimited design possibilities to increased time to market and efficiencies throughout the value chain, additive manufacturing (AM) enables a host of advantages. It can be a viable replacement for conventional manufacturing processes, like injection molding, die casting, and milling, for more than rapid prototyping. Implemented correctly, 3D printing can transform your entire production and make you more competitive.

However, switching to AM isn’t as easy as buying a printer and flipping a switch. And, although many industries have created awe-inspiring innovations with 3D printing, you also don’t want to print something for the sake of printing it. 

The biggest potential for AM often doesn’t come from those significant innovations. It’s in the incremental improvements, like more efficient operations or digital twins and inventories, where the technology can truly shine. 

Therefore, your AM journey should begin by identifying current pain points and the components that make the most business sense to print additively. Part of this process is selecting the types of materials you’ll use. 

Different types of additive manufacturing materials

Choosing the right materials is the key to successful 3D printing applications.  When working with us, you have access to more than 40 different commercial materials—the widest variety of SLS materials for powder beds on the market. 

Some of our cutting-edge materials optimized for laser sintering include:

Thermoplastics

• PP 400 – Offers superior mechanical properties in comparison to other options currently available on the market. Features excellent elasticity and toughness, requires no additives, and offers a 50% elongation at the break.
• TPE 300 – Create soft, white parts that are easy to infiltrate and can achieve extreme elongations. 
• Ultrasint® PP nat 01 – Its high elongation and durability coupled with low moisture absorption make it ideal for pipes and ducts, water reservoirs, and economical and functional prototyping. 

Fire retardant materials

• FR-106 – The only commercially available fire retardant nylon 11 material that meets the FAR 25.853 60 second burn specification. Applications include automotive and aerospace production and housing and enclosure assemblies. 
• PA 606-FR – Achieve a smooth finish while producing accurate, repeatable parts for prototyping and manufacturing applications.

Filled and unfilled powders

• HT-23 (carbon fiber-filled) –  Parts made out of HT-23 material offer high strength at low weight and withstand high temperatures. Its the first high-temperature polymer laser sintering solution that enables serial production of demanding composite components for the aerospace, electronics, and mobility industries.
• PA 840-GSL (glass-filled nylon 11) – Best strength to weight ratio properties of any SLS material. Ideal for applications requiring a balance of strength, lighter weight, and ductility without sacrificing dimensional stability and surface finish.
• PA 830-ESD12 (filled nylon 11) – One of the first electrostatically dissipative materials in the portfolio without carbon fiber. The material is developed to produce strong parts that work for various applications like electronics products, semiconductor assembly fixtures, and those requiring electrostatic discharge (ESD) capabilities.
• PA 250 (unfilled nylon 12) – Smoothest surface finish and stabilized against thermal degradation for superior recyclability. Ideal for applications needing a cost-effective approach for producing high detailed precision parts.

Three questions to answer before 3D printing

When vetting materials for economic and mechanical feasibility, there are three overarching criteria to consider:
What’s your industry?
How is the part or component used within that industry?
Are there any special requirements for this application?

Here you’ll dig into challenges you might face and how additive manufacturing can solve these—especially in areas where traditional manufacturing processes reach their limits. 

Ask yourself: 

• Does the product need to adhere to regulations? This is especially crucial for those in the medical device industry.
• Does it need to be flame retardant? 
• Does it need to be insulating?
• Does it need to have electrostatic discharge capabilities? 
• Are there mechanical performance requirements? 
• Are there any temperature demands? 
• What size is the production series? AM tends to be most effective with smaller runs. 
• Does the part require customizations or complex geometries? 

Evaluating your products with these considerations in mind will help zero in on what in your portfolio makes the most business sense to 3D print. It’ll also help you determine the material that best suits your needs and requirements. 

Moving from injection molding to additive manufacturing

Ultimately, you want to move forward with the applications that will decrease overall costs in your manufacturing value chain and increase part performance with custom materials.
While this process takes a lot of hard work and resources, especially your first time implementing the technology, you don’t need to go about it alone.
From developing custom materials to suit your standards and requirements to laboratory services to ensure optimum performance in 3D printing, we specialize in making your switch from conventional processes, like injection molding, to additive manufacturing worry-free and successful.
Ready to get started? Contact our team today.

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At ALM, our passion is creating the best powder-based materials for additive manufacturing, so you can get creative and meet all of your product specs.
Need to meet unique product specifications? Or are you searching for a cost-effective solution to move from prototyping to production with additive manufacturing?
Our team can help you find the right material for your project. Whether it’s a standard material, slight customization of existing material, or completely custom solutions, we have you covered.
Find the right material for your production or prototype to produce better components with a better ROI.

• Not sure what material to use? Use our material finder to select the right fit for your production needs.
• Want to know more about our semi-custom and fully-custom materials and development process? Contact our team today.
• Know what you need and want to place an order? Contact purchasing here.